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Hamilton extends hit streak to 22 games

Hamilton extends hit streak to 22 games

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ANAHEIM -- Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton extended his hitting streak to a career-best 22 games with a single in the third inning against Angels right-hander Joel Pineiro in the Rangers' 6-5 loss on Tuesday at Angel Stadium.

Hamilton, who extended his streak with a line drive to right field, also broke the Rangers record for most hits in a month with 48 to eclipse Mickey Rivers and Frank Catalanotto, who each had 47 in August 1980 and August 2001, respectively. It was Hamilton's lone hit of the game, as he went 1-for-5 with an RBI groundout coming in the fifth inning.

Hamilton also made the last out of the game against Angels closer Brian Fuentes on a groundout to shortstop Erick Aybar.

But Hamilton has simply mashed the ball recently, as has a .462 batting average (42-for-91) with nine homers and 29 RBIs during his streak. It has been part of a torrid month, as he's hitting a Major League-best .457 in June with nine homers and 31 RBIs.

Hamilton, who is hitting .347 with 18 homers and 58 RBIs in 73 games on the season, said his success has come because of a change in his mechanics with the elimination of his toe tap and because he has changed his approach during batting practice.

"I'm not trying to hit homers on every pitch anymore," Hamilton said of his batting practice routine. "I'm trying to hit line drives and try to barrel it up and try to have a solid batting practice. It's helped tremendously."

Manager Ron Washington, though, said the real reason for his success is that he is healthy after battling various injuries last season.

"That's the key -- his health," Washington said. "I think as long as he's healthy, even if he's not as hot as he is right now, he'd still be hurting some people."